Ghost Tour

This was a fun little tour and was exactly what I expected honestly. I learned some of the local folklore of the city and a bit of interesting history about some of the haunted buildings in the area. A cheap and fun way to spend an hour. Our guide was a great storyteller.

What else should one do on Friday the 13^th when one finds oneself in St. Petersburg?
Interesting stories. Knowledgeable guide. Mr. Patrick was a great story teller. My favorite was the story of Esther Wright, the «cat and bird lady». I would echo the sentiments that were expressed in previous reviews. This tour is heavy on history with some stories about potential ghosts.
Great night for it. Not too hot. Not too chilly. Just right. It doesn’t start where it ends, but this was advantageous to me, because I ended up closer to the hotel where I was staying.
Speaking of hotels, St. Petersburg has some old creepy ones with lots of history (e.g. Detroit Hotel). I would love to learn more about these places.
Fun evening with a small, intimate group.

This is a walking tour that starts on Beach Drive. It says meet at Hooker Tea but we could not find the tour guide at first because they were sitting on a bench outside and we had looked inside. They should really give better directions. With the hustle and bustle on Beach Drive, they looked like just another person. Anyway, the tour lasted from 8 – 10 and our guide was not very engaging. I did this ghost tour about 8 years ago, and again last week with some friends. The two guides did not compare. The first guide was authentic and engaging, while last week’s sounded like she was reciting exactly from memory. Several times we encountered homeless people at the stops which was the scariest part of the whole thing. You hear tales of residents of St. Pete’s past and the supposed hauntings they have left behind. Your guide will definitely make or break this for you. Our group was pretty bored throughout the whole thing, and we could not wait for it to be over.

This review is for the Ghost Tour of Tampa. The company operates tours out of Tampa, St. Pete, and John’s Pass.
I’ve done ghost tours in St. Augustine and San Diego. This was far from a tour. It was more akin to standing around a camp fire listening to ghost stories minus the scare or interest.
Our guide met us in downtown Tampa. She was pleasant. I could not tell if she was garbed in period clothing or if she just dressed in an eccentric fashion. She immediately informed us that the 90 minute tour would be closer to 2 hours because she would also be telling stories from friends of friends. This is exactly what happened on a brisk 60 degree Tampa night.
We really walked in a four block circle with a few stops in between. We stopped at the historic Tampa Theater and heard multiple stories about multiple ghosts before she finally discussed the «Tampa Ghost». I would have preferred that she got to the point right away. We then proceeded to a small grocery store which was allegedly haunted. The clerk seemed sincere and backed up the guide’s story. We then walked some more and ended up looking out the University of Tampa. We heard about some ghost that chills there as well.
By this point, I was done but the guide wasn’t. She continued telling story upon story (hearsay in a court of law mind you) that she got from friends and other ghost tour operators. Next stop was a bookstore (full of old books) and then a public park. At this point the storyteller informed us that she was from an ancient profession of story tellers who lived on tips. Okay I get it. I was going to tip you anyway. This approach was tacky.
In closing, I viewed the tour as an opportunity to learn and see some parts of Tampa Bay. It didn’t seem like a ghost tour per se. Perhaps the John’s Pass tour or the St. Pete tour is better. The Tampa tour is sub par.

While not a «ghost tour» in the strictest sense, they do advertise on their site and when you talk to the guide that it’s just a walking tour with stories. It’s also only $ 15 ($ 13 if you order online), so I’m not going to be too picky about it.
We opted for the downtown St. Petersburg tour and had a pretty enjoyable time with our guide, Genevese. Unfortunately it was a little on the warm side but we still were able to stop often enough to catch a breeze and cool down a little. You also get to go inside a few locations which are thankfully air conditioned. The other problem is that most of the area isn’t that old or intact, so there are only a few locations to visit compared to some older towns. Still, we had a good time and our guide made it a fun and engaging experience. We also ended the tour at the Vinoy hotel so we were able to cool off at the bar with a fancy cocktail when we were done.

I hadn’t done a ghost tour before so I was kind of excited to do this. Our guides Anita and her husband (he jokingly told us his name was Mordecai Tecumseh Graves.) They were friendly and knowledgeable, but it sounds like michael s. got a more thorough tour than we did. I think my favorite part was when M.T. Graves startled my roommate or when he approached the homeless guy staying on the front porch of the Blocker mansion. I really enjoyed the history behind the places so it was still interesting and worth it.

It really isn’t a ‘ghost tour’ if I compare it to some i’ve been on in San Francisco or the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Ark. But Laurie, our guide, DID profess she was not a medium/​spiritualist from the start. She was more of a ‘historical’ guide. However, that seems to be a misnomer to ‘Ghost Tour’.
We began on Beach Street and probably covered three city blocks in all. Laurie told our group of the Vinoy Hotel and the nefarious Gene Eliot who probably killed his wife, thus the ‘lady in white’ who haunts the tower. She took us to several old Banyan trees in the park and spoke of the Tocabaca tribe and the shell mounds which existed in this area. I photographed an orb here, I think.
We moved on to the Museum of Fine Arts and learned of Margaret Stewart, the founder and then went to the Ponce De Leon Hotel, briefly walking inside to the lobby. Our guide made mention that this hotel was used as a morgue back in WWII but I have found no mention in my research that it was.
However, the strange story of former Rockette Betty Warfield burning up in her bed back in 1981 was interesting. Supposedly nothing else burned in the room or anywhere else. Spontaneous Combustion? Strange story.
I think my problem with the tour is that we didn’t really go into any place although I understand certain businesses frown on having a lot of non-​paying gawkers standing around in their establishment.
Something I appreciated at the Crescent Hotel, we were able to roam the floors, basement, etc. and yet didn’t disturb the occupants.
I was a little let down although I got a few strange photos and heard some very strange tales. I would like to see a REAL ghost tour where we could enter the Vinoy or the Detroit Hotel (oldest in St. Petersburg) and actually have EVP recordings or some other ghost hunter apparatus.
Laurie did good, I’m not faulting her, but it was not very exciting.
The Ghost Hunter tours also do Tampa, John’s Pass and Gulfport. I’ve heard the Don Cesar Hotel tour is cool. it’s more expensive as one pays for a light dinner there.
Perhaps I should start my own ghost tour.